Up For Order
by some kind of harmony
Summary: A series of Pushing Daisies ficlets. New on the menu: "Vivian's heart went to her throat as she nodded feebly, watching her lunch date sink to his knee."
1. Plumberry Pie

[Disclaimer: All Brian Fuller's wonderful characters. I'm just taking them out for a spin.

A/N: This is a series of Pushing Daisies ficlets/drabbles. Hope you like them!]

**Plumberry Pie**:

**Four-letter Fruits**

"Plumberries!" Olive spat out as she pulled another burnt pie from the oven.

"Plumberries? Are they really a fruit? Can I try?"

"No," Olive yanked the pie away before Chuck could touch the blackened crust, happy that Ned had just walked in. Good. Let him explain.

"The Piehole is a family-friendly business," he said, "and families get unfriendly when certain people start cursing at the oven…Olive's been working on alternatives."

"It'd be easier not to curse if the oven stopped killing our pies."

"It'd be easier if it actually killed the pies," Ned muttered.

Chuck smiled.

"I like plumberries," she offered. "I think they'd taste great."

"Sure," Olive tried not to snap. "Plums, berries, burnt pie, what's not to love?" (Okay, so maybe she wasn't trying very hard. At least she didn't wander around kitchens unemployed and unannounced.) "Anyway it's not easy, going cold turkey. Shouting 'sugarpuffs' when you stub your toe just doesn't feel as good as 'son of a b-'"

"-lueberry. Blueberry." Ned finished.

"And it's bad enough working around sweet-smelling pies all day, now that I'm suddenly spouting ingredients like I have Tourette's I've been getting serious snack cravings."

Chuck glanced at Ned, ignored the slight shake of his head. She knew where that was coming from, and Emerson could deal. "We were actually just about to get something for lunch. Non-pie, but there could be fruit… what do you think?"

Olive had seen the shake, too. "Thanks, but someone should keep things going here. You never know when business will get hungry and want pie."

"Okay, if you're sure…"

Olive watched as the pair left, together and smiling and happy to be alone. She grabbed a fork.

"Nectarines." she muttered as she took a bite of her ruined pie. "Nectarines, bananas, and son of a pear."

* * *

Do you like these ficlets? Let me know! : )


	2. One Minute Blueberry Pie

**One-Minute Blueberry Pie:**

**Conversations with Dead People**

Ned eyes the beige-colored room. He blinks.

The therapist says, "I want you to imagine having a conversation with Mr. Charles."

But Ned doesn't imagine. He doesn't have to. With a touch Mr. Charles could gasp in air, gasp out shock. He would want to know where he was, and why. Ned would try to explain, the minute hand would move, and Mr. Charles would stop gasping.

There was never time for therapy.

Ned sees the death again, the spurting hose and a confused little girl. He stands up and walks out of the office. He won't be coming back.


	3. Midnight Quiche

[A/N: Set between 2x07 (Robbing Hood) and 2x08 (Comfort Food). Spoilers for s2.]

** Midnight Quiche:  
**

**Certain Facts**

Dwight Dixon smiled a slow, genial smile, and Vivian wondered if he was going to play another song on the bagpipe. Maybe he knew Greensleeves, and they could harmonize. Then again (she loosened her clutch on a Japanese-print handbag), they were already in harmony. They were in tune.

"I do so love the time we've spent together, Dwight" Vivian admitted. "After Charles' death, not to mention his painful betrayal of our engagement, I wasn't very sure I could move on."

"Well, I hope this little story has a pleasant ending."

"Oh, it does. An ending involving treasured picnics with a favored gentleman caller."

Dwight's smile grew. "And would this caller be allowed to...propose something?"

Vivian's heart went to her throat as she nodded feebly, watching her lunch date sink to his knee.

"Vivian Charles," Dwight said, "This cannot endure-"

Vivian gasped, but not because Dwight was kneeling. She must be seeing things. How could Charlotte possibly be watching them from behind a tree? And how could Charles Charles be standing there too?

Perhaps Lily was right, and that Himalayan goat cheese she tasted this morning had been a bit more than she could handle after all.

"Vivian" Dwight and Charles said, speaking in tandem. "You have to know the truth."

"You're alive" Vivian whispered.

"'Course I'm alive" Dwight responded absentmindedly. Then he regained focus. "There's something you should know about your sister and Charles..."

"A-and Charlotte!" Vivian felt like fainting.

"Yes." Dwight looked surprised.

"What?" Vivian gasped.

Before Dwight could explain, Ned ran into the park to get to Charles, stumbled into Charlotte, and for some reason, both Charles's toppled. Vivian fainted. Ned paled.

It didn't make any sense, none at all. But one thing was certain, Lily Charles realized as she woke with a start. Dwight had to go.


End file.
